Handbags and Gladrags
Encyclopedia
"Handbags and Gladrags" is the name of a song written in 1967 by Mike d'Abo
, who was then the lead singer of Manfred Mann
. D'Abo describes the song as "saying to a teenage girl that the way to happiness is not through being trendy. There are deeper values."
The original demo tape of the original version of the song was discovered in 2004 in a closet belonging to Mo Foster
. It was amongst a collection of studio recordings d'Abo had recorded in the late 60s and early 70s. The collection, including the demo recording, was eventually released on the Angel Air
label under the title of Missing Gems & Treasured Friends.
was the first to release a version of the song. It became a #33 hit in the United Kingdom
for Immediate Records
. This arrangement of the song featured Dave Greenslade
's piano blues-scale riff.
recorded a version for the 1970 album An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down
. This version of the song was arranged by Mike d'Abo himself, who also played piano on the recording. The song failed to garner significant sales or airplay in the United States, but when it was re-released as a single in 1972
, it managed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100
. In his intro to the song at the live recording of "One Night Only! Rod Stewart Live at Royal Albert Hall", Rod asks the audience to recall who had a hit with the song (presumably he's referring to the Stereophonics version) and claims "I was the first".
and his jazz/rock fusion group Chase recorded a version as a single. It was included on their 1971 debut album Chase. It was sung by Ted Piercefield.
released a version of the song on a single. It became so popular it was added to their album Just Enough Education to Perform
as track 7. It was also included in 2008 on the Stereophonics best of album Decade in the Sun as the final track on the album.
. Three versions were recorded:
Both vocal versions feature the vocal performance of Waysted
vocalist Fin.
In Series One, Episode Four
, a version performed by Ricky Gervais
(in character as David Brent
) was featured over the end credits.
Mike d'Abo
Michael David "Mike" d'Abo is an English singer and songwriter, best known as the former lead vocalist of Manfred Mann.-Biography:...
, who was then the lead singer of Manfred Mann
Manfred Mann
Manfred Mann was a British beat, rhythm and blues and pop band of the 1960s, named after their South African keyboardist, Manfred Mann, who later led the successful 1970s group Manfred Mann's Earth Band...
. D'Abo describes the song as "saying to a teenage girl that the way to happiness is not through being trendy. There are deeper values."
The original demo tape of the original version of the song was discovered in 2004 in a closet belonging to Mo Foster
Mo Foster
Mo Foster is a British session musician, playing primarily jazz, jazz-fusion and rock bass guitar. He is also a music producer and songwriter/composer. In over 40 years as a musician Foster has played on and produced countless albums, singles, and film soundtracks...
. It was amongst a collection of studio recordings d'Abo had recorded in the late 60s and early 70s. The collection, including the demo recording, was eventually released on the Angel Air
Angel Air
Angel Airlines, trading as Angel Air, was an airline based in Bangkok, Thailand, which was operational between 1997 and 2006.-Fleet:Over the years, Angel Airlines operated the following aircraft types:...
label under the title of Missing Gems & Treasured Friends.
Chris Farlowe version
In 1967, singer Chris FarloweChris Farlowe
Chris Farlowe is an English rock, blues and soul singer. He is best known for his hit single "Out of Time", which rose to #1 in the UK Singles Chart in 1966, and his association with Colosseum and the Thunderbirds.Outside his music career, Farlowe collects war memorabilia.-Career:Inspired by Lonnie...
was the first to release a version of the song. It became a #33 hit in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
for Immediate Records
Immediate Records
Immediate Records was a British record label, started in 1965 by The Rolling Stones' manager Andrew Loog Oldham and Tony Calder and concentrating on the London-based blues and R&B scene.-History:...
. This arrangement of the song featured Dave Greenslade
Dave Greenslade
Dave Greenslade is a British keyboards player. He has played in his own eponymous band, Greenslade, and others including Colosseum, If and Chris Farlowe's Thunderbirds....
's piano blues-scale riff.
Rod Stewart version
In 1969, Rod StewartRod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
recorded a version for the 1970 album An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down
An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down
An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down was the debut album by Rod Stewart, released on February 1970 on Vertigo Records...
. This version of the song was arranged by Mike d'Abo himself, who also played piano on the recording. The song failed to garner significant sales or airplay in the United States, but when it was re-released as a single in 1972
1972 in music
-Events:*January 17 – Highway 51 South in Memphis, Tennessee is renamed "Elvis Presley Boulevard"*January 20 – The début of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon at The Dome, Brighton, is halted by technical difficulties,...
, it managed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. In his intro to the song at the live recording of "One Night Only! Rod Stewart Live at Royal Albert Hall", Rod asks the audience to recall who had a hit with the song (presumably he's referring to the Stereophonics version) and claims "I was the first".
Chase version
In 1971, Bill ChaseBill Chase
Bill Chase was an American trumpet player and leader of the jazz-rock fusion band Chase.-Biography:...
and his jazz/rock fusion group Chase recorded a version as a single. It was included on their 1971 debut album Chase. It was sung by Ted Piercefield.
Stereophonics version
In 2001, the StereophonicsStereophonics
The Stereophonics are a Welsh rock band now living in turners x that formed in 1992 in the village of Cwmaman in Cynon Valley, Wales. The band currently comprises lead vocalist and guitarist Kelly Jones, bassist and backing vocalist Richard Jones, drummer Javier Weyler, guitarist and backing...
released a version of the song on a single. It became so popular it was added to their album Just Enough Education to Perform
Just Enough Education to Perform
Just Enough Education to Perform, also known by its acronym J.E.E.P., is the third studio album by Welsh rock band Stereophonics. Released on 17 April 2001, the album topped the UK Albums Chart with 140,000 copies sold. and spawned three top-ten singles in the form of "Mr. Writer", "Have a Nice...
as track 7. It was also included in 2008 on the Stereophonics best of album Decade in the Sun as the final track on the album.
The Office theme song
In 2000, a version of "Handbags and Gladrags" was specifically arranged by Big George as the theme song on the BBC series The OfficeThe Office (UK TV series)
The Office is a British sitcom television series that was first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC Two on 9 July 2001. Created, written, and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the programme is about the day-to-day lives of office employees in the Slough branch of the fictitious...
. Three versions were recorded:
- a short, instrumental piece as the opening titles theme
- a short, vocal piece as the closing titles theme
- an alternative full studio version
Both vocal versions feature the vocal performance of Waysted
Waysted
Waysted are a heavy metal band formed by UFO bassist Pete Way and Scottish rocker Fin Muir in 1983. Recruiting Frank Noon , Ronnie Kayfield and Paul Raymond, Waysted signed to Chrysalis Records and released Vices in 1983....
vocalist Fin.
In Series One, Episode Four
Episode Four (The Office, Series One)
Episode Four is the fourth episode of the first series of The Office. "Training" is an alternative title for the episode. It was originally broadcast on 30 July 2001...
, a version performed by Ricky Gervais
Ricky Gervais
Ricky Dene Gervais is an English comedian, actor, director, radio presenter, producer, musician, and writer.Gervais achieved mainstream fame with his television series The Office and the subsequent series Extras, both of which he co-wrote and co-directed with friend and frequent collaborator...
(in character as David Brent
David Brent
David Brent is a fictional character in the BBC television mockumentary The Office, as well as a recurring character in the NBC series of the same name, portrayed by co-writer and director Ricky Gervais. Brent is a white-collar office middle-manager and the principal character of the BBC series...
) was featured over the end credits.
Version release history
| Year | Artist | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Chris Farlowe Chris Farlowe Chris Farlowe is an English rock, blues and soul singer. He is best known for his hit single "Out of Time", which rose to #1 in the UK Singles Chart in 1966, and his association with Colosseum and the Thunderbirds.Outside his music career, Farlowe collects war memorabilia.-Career:Inspired by Lonnie... |
Single |
| 1967 | Double Feature | Single |
| 1968 | Love Affair Love Affair (band) Love Affair were a London based pop, soul, R&B group formed in 1966. They had several UK Singles Chart Top 10 hits, including the number one success "Everlasting Love".-Personnel:The band primarily featured the following —... |
Album |
| 1969 | Kate Taylor Kate Taylor Kate Taylor is an American folk singer, originally from Boston, Massachusetts.-Biography:Kate was born in Boston and grew up with her four brothers in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where her father was Dean of the medical school at the University of North Carolina... |
Album |
| 1969 | The Rationals The Rationals -History:The Rationals formed in 1964 and first recorded a single for a local label, A2 Records, in 1965. After scoring a local hit with the tune "Gave My Love", they recorded a cover of Otis Redding's "Respect". This won them a contract for national distribution by Cameo/Parkway, and the single... |
Album (CREWE CR-1334) |
| 1970 | Rod Stewart Rod Stewart Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry.... |
Single |
| 1971 | Chase Chase (band) The band Chase was created in 1970 by Bill Chase, Ted Piercefield, Alan Ware, and Jerry Van Blair, all veteran jazz trumpeters who were also adept at vocals and arranging. They were backed up by a rhythm section consisting of Phil Porter on keyboards, Angel South on guitar, Dennis Johnson on bass,... |
Single |
| 1971 | Gary Burton Gary Burton Gary Burton is an American jazz vibraphonist.A true original on the vibraphone, Burton developed a pianistic style of four-mallet technique as an alternative to the usual two-mallets. This approach caused Burton to be heralded as an innovator and his sound and technique are widely imitated... |
Album |
| 1973 | Jon English Jon English Jonathan James "Jon" English is an Australian rock singer, musician, actor and writer. English emigrated to Australia with his parents in 1961... |
Album |
| 1974 | Mike D'Abo Mike d'Abo Michael David "Mike" d'Abo is an English singer and songwriter, best known as the former lead vocalist of Manfred Mann.-Biography:... |
Album |
| 1975 | Chris Farlowe Chris Farlowe Chris Farlowe is an English rock, blues and soul singer. He is best known for his hit single "Out of Time", which rose to #1 in the UK Singles Chart in 1966, and his association with Colosseum and the Thunderbirds.Outside his music career, Farlowe collects war memorabilia.-Career:Inspired by Lonnie... |
Album (Live recording) |
| 1977 | Kirka Babitzin Kirka Babitzin Kirill "Kirka" Babitzin was a popular Finnish musician.-Biography:Kirill Babitzin was born in Helsinki in 1950 to a Russian emigrant family. He first got into music at the age of five when his grandmother gave him an accordion. He won an accordion competition at the age of ten, but soon ditched... |
Album |
| 1992 | Mary Coughlan Mary Coughlan (singer) Mary Coughlan is an Irish jazz and folk singer and actress. She has received great acclamation in her native country, for her emotional and heartfelt jazzy musical renditions.-Background:... |
Album |
| 1993 | Rod Stewart Rod Stewart Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry.... |
Album (Acoustic recording) |
| 2001 | Stereophonics Stereophonics The Stereophonics are a Welsh rock band now living in turners x that formed in 1992 in the village of Cwmaman in Cynon Valley, Wales. The band currently comprises lead vocalist and guitarist Kelly Jones, bassist and backing vocalist Richard Jones, drummer Javier Weyler, guitarist and backing... |
Single |
| 2002 | Rod Stewart Rod Stewart Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry.... |
Album (Live recording) |
| 2003 | Manfred Mann Manfred Mann Manfred Mann was a British beat, rhythm and blues and pop band of the 1960s, named after their South African keyboardist, Manfred Mann, who later led the successful 1970s group Manfred Mann's Earth Band... |
Album |
| 2004 | Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Royal Philharmonic Orchestra The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is a British orchestra based in London. It tours widely, and is sometimes referred to as "Britain's national orchestra"... |
Album |
| 2005 | Chris Farlowe Chris Farlowe Chris Farlowe is an English rock, blues and soul singer. He is best known for his hit single "Out of Time", which rose to #1 in the UK Singles Chart in 1966, and his association with Colosseum and the Thunderbirds.Outside his music career, Farlowe collects war memorabilia.-Career:Inspired by Lonnie... |
Album (Live recording) |
| 2005 | Dark One Lite | Album |
| 2007 | Engelbert Humperdinck Engelbert Humperdinck (singer) Engelbert Humperdinck is a British pop singer, best known for his hits including "Release Me " and "After the Lovin'" as well as "The Last Waltz" .-Early life:... |
Album |
| 2007 | Waysted Waysted Waysted are a heavy metal band formed by UFO bassist Pete Way and Scottish rocker Fin Muir in 1983. Recruiting Frank Noon , Ronnie Kayfield and Paul Raymond, Waysted signed to Chrysalis Records and released Vices in 1983.... |
Album |
| 2007 | Jonathan Sass Jonathan Sass Jonathan "Jon" Sass is a jazz tuba player and composer. He studied at Boston University and has lived in Vienna since 1989.... |
Album |
| 2008 | Jackie Trent Jackie Trent Jackie Trent is an English singer, songwriter, and actress.-Career:Trent's first stage appearance was as a ten-year-old ingenue in the pantomime Babes In The Wood, but her primary interest was a career in pop music... |
Album |
| 2008 | Ol' Cheeky Bastards | Album |
| 2008 | Karl Jenkins Karl Jenkins -Other works:*Adiemus: Live — live versions of Adiemus music*Palladio *Eloise *Imagined Oceans *The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace... |
Album |